Three Auburn University students from Madison County received scholarships from the Madison County Farmers Federation and the federation’s Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation. Federation officers Jimmy Parnell, at left, and Rex Vaughn congratulate Connor Webster, Jake Patterson and Tyler Miller. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON COUNTY – Three students at Auburn University from Madison County are 2015 Alabama Farmers Federation Scholarship recipients.

Jake Patterson, Connor Webster and Tyler Miller accepted their awards at the Alabama Farmers Federation luncheon on Aug. 22 at the Ham Wilson Arena in Auburn. All three young men are studying agronomy and soils at Auburn.

All graduates of schools in Madison County, Patterson finished at Buckhorn High School, Webster graduated from Sparkman High School, and Miller was a student at Madison Academy.

The Madison County Farmers Federation and Federation’s Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation funded the scholarships. Federation President Jimmy Parnell and Rex Vaughn presented the awards to Patterson, Webster and Miller. Vaughn is president of Madison County Farmers Federation and vice president of the federation’s north region.

Current and future agricultural leaders attended the federation event at Auburn. County federation representatives presented scholarships to 72 students majoring in agriculture and forestry.

Crenshaw County Farmers Federation President Linda Pierce, who taught high school biology, anatomy and physiology for 27 years, addressed the students.

“Each county in the great state of Alabama has the opportunity of funding scholarships thanks to the encouragement and assistance of the Alabama Farmers Federation,” Pierce said. “It means we are helping the student and their family with merit-based assistance to help pay for college, not just any student or any family but one from our own county — a homegrown recipient.”

The federation, Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation and Alfa Insurance provided $1,250 in matching funds for each county federation that contributed $500.

“College is not free, but some investments are beyond calculation,” Pierce said. “These scholarship recipients are among those who will assume the greatest challenges of the 21st century, from energy to food supply to health care. For a cause this big, no gift is too small.”

For more information, visit alfafarmers.org.